Living Like You | A Real Look At Life With Multiple Sclerosis

About MS

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological condition that affects the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain and spinal cord¹. In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the coating that protects the nerves (called myelin), which helps messages travel quickly and smoothly from the brain to the muscles and organs to co-ordinate the functioning of the body^1,2. This attack results in inflammation and ‘sclerosis’, or scarring and hardening of the nerve tissues, disrupting the messages travelling along the nerve fibres².

MS is a progressive condition that can move through different phases, in which the type, frequency and severity of symptoms vary - no two people experience MS in the same way and symptoms can differ from person to person. Some of the areas that MS can affect include³:

Memory, thinking and concentration, sometimes referred to as ‘cog fog’
Energy level (fatigue)
Vision
Numbness and tingling
Mobility
Pain
Speech and swallowing
Bowel and bladder
Sexual dysfunction

There are three types of MS: relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS)⁴.

Learn more

References:
1. MS Society. About MS. Available at: https://www.mssociety.org.uk/about-ms. Accessed April 2020.
2. NHS. Multiple sclerosis: Causes. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/multiple-sclerosis/causes/. Accessed April 2020.
3. NHS. Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/multiple-sclerosis/symptoms/. Accessed April 2020.
4. MS Society. Types of MS. Available at: https://www.mssociety.org.uk/what-is-ms/types-of-ms. Accessed April 2020

MS Dictionary

Living with MS can feel like you are learning a new language! It can feel overwhelming at times, but getting to grip with the words can be helpful when it comes to having open conversations with your MS specialist, neurologist, GP or MS nurse.

In addition, if your healthcare team use complicated language during appointments, it is completely fine to ask them to explain, that is what they are there for!

See below for our handy MS dictionary: